SERIES
Acts: Empowered to Extend
2017-09-10T08:00:00-05:00
21:1 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.
9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.”11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright (c)2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.esv.org
On Tuesday, September 12, the world watched eagerly as Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, unveiled the company’s new products before a live audience in Cupertino, California. As always, the dramatic peak of Cook’s keynote address came as he introduced the latest models of the iPhone. To whet their appetite, Cook told the audience, “No other device in our lifetime has had the impact on the world than the iPhone has. Nothing else has become so essential or put so much power into so many people’s hands than the iPhone.” I nearly fell out of my chair when I heard Cook’s hyperbolic salesmanship. Is the iPhone an influential technology? Absolutely. Is it incredibly useful? For a wealthy few, yes. But more essential and powerful than anything else in our lifetime? Hardly.
Just before Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave His disciples this promise: “And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49).” To equip the disciples in their work as witnesses to His death and resurrection, Jesus promised to clothe them with power. What was that power? It was more than a phone; it was God Himself, the Holy Spirit. We see this promise repeated in Acts 1:8, fulfilled in Acts 2:1-4, and applied throughout the remainder of this amazing book of speeches, signs, and wonders.
Many of us read Acts with a sense of longing, wishing somehow to experience the life of the early church. If only our church could be infused with that same spirit of unity, mission, boldness, and power. But let us not forget that we too possess this same Holy Spirit! While the apostolic age was unique in ways, the transforming presence of the Holy Spirit endures with us, the church, forever, just as Jesus promised (John 14:16-17)! As sojourners, we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 2:9-11). As witnesses, we speak in the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). And as mortals, we die yet live in the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11).
Thanks be to Christ for His indescribable gift!
O God, renew in us a sense of wonder and purpose as people indwelt by Your Holy Spirit. Grant us dependence on Him in all things, and may we exalt and extend the name of Jesus Christ in His power.